About VEXATIONS
American Experimentalist John Cage had a particular interest in the quirky but curously lyrical work of French Composer, Erik Satie. Cage discovered a perplexing piano composition of his entitled Vexations. Hearing a few bars of diminished chords played 840 times was indeed vexing. Cage organized a round-robin performance in New York City, and we decided to offer the same experience to our Tokyō Cross Talk audience. This performance included participation of nearly every innovatively inclined composer in Japan.
Japanese composer Toshiro Mayuzumi Performing his log of the interminable Vexations.
Foreground: Karen and Roger commiserating as Vexations continues late in the Tokyō evening. Toshi Ichiyanagi performing VEXATIONS.
Roger trying to keep clear about which diminished chord is next.
Audience for 18-hr performance of Vexations middle ground:
Karen Reynolds,Yoshiaki Matsudaira, Toshiro Mayuzum, and unidentified stalwart. Facing audience of the Right: Donald Albright, Cultural Afairs Director of the American Cultural Center in Tokyō.
Karen Reynolds performing her segment of Satie's Vexations, while maintaing admirable serenity.
